Grants for Catalyzing Research Clusters: Performing + Creative Arts

The Vice-President, Research & Innovation established the Grants for Catalyzing Research Clusters (GCRC) competition for Performing + Creative Arts to provide seed funding in support of developing clusters of research excellence at UBC.

AWARD SUMMARY

For the purposes of this funding competition, a cluster of research excellence is defined as an inter-disciplinary network of researchers at UBC who collectively represent leaders in a particular field of study. These awards are specifically targeted at catalyzing advanced research initiatives with the expectation that awards will be used strategically to attract further funding opportunities (e.g., partnerships, grants, industry and NGO funds, etc.).

Researchers are invited to submit a proposal (up to a maximum of 5 pages) in the form of a plan to show how the seed money will be used to create and/or advance a cluster of research excellence in Performing and/or Creative Arts.

Applications should clearly:

  1. describe research themes
  2. identify secured collaborators & partners 
  3. provide objective measures of excellence in artistic research and creation, including national and international standing 
  4. articulate goals and
  5. detail how seed funds will be used to achieve the expected outcomes (i.e., budget justification).

The goals expected to be achieved with the seed funding may vary among proposals (e.g., new partnerships, increased funding opportunities, international collaboration), but applications should make a strong case for the value of those goals to the proposed research cluster and demonstrate how the funding will be used to achieve those outcomes.

We are accepting applications from any clusters that relate to the performing and/or creative arts. Please note: applications should seek to generate new directions for artistic work and research creation, rather than reproduce activities that would be conducted in the normal course of a practitioner’s activities.

FUNDING DETAILS

A total funding envelope of $150,000 is available for this competition, with the expectation that several applications will be funded and a cap of $50,000 per proposal. Successful applications will be notified in February 2017 and awards will be distributed shortly after. Funding will be released all at once and must be spent within a year of award receipt.

Applications will be accepted from all departments, but must be led by a researcher in the performing and creative arts and the primary focus of the research cluster must be strongly situated within the performing and creative arts. Clusters can include non-faculty researchers, but the lead PI must hold research spending authority under UBC’s policy 87

SUBMISSION AND SELECTION PROCESSES

Applications for this funding call should be submitted electronically to Kyle Glenn in the VPRI office (kyle.glenn@ubc.ca) by end of day December 12, 2016. An inter-disciplinary panel will review applications and make decisions based on merit and the ability to demonstrate how seed funds will be used to develop a leading research cluster. Specific assessment criteria include:

  • Leveraging of GCRC funding to attract further funding opportunities;
  • Interdisciplinary, inter-institutional and inter-sectoral collaborative research;
  • Evidence of excellence in artistic research and creation;
  • Pooling of skills and expertise across faculties at UBC, other institutions, the public and/or private sectors;
  • Advancement of knowledge in the performing and creative arts and/or enhancement of the quality of artistic production. 
Additional information

For guidance on how GCRC can be leveraged and positioned within a Tri-Council and/or larger funding landscape, we encourage applicants to consult with Dawn Whitworth in the SPARC office (dawn.whitworth@ubc.ca).

Information Session: October 31st 11:00am-12:30pm

The VPR office will hold an informational session on this funding competition. We encourage groups who are interested in applying for this competition to attend and learn more about this program.

The information session will be held October 31st 11:00am-12:30pm in The Board and Senate Room of the Old Administration Building, 63 28 Memorial Road.

Video conferencing will be set up with UBC Okanagan campus (Fipke Room 337 ).